Lot Essay
The earliest example of a double-niche Ushak rug, as mentioned in the note to lot 411, is in 1517. Further examples appear throughout the sixteenth and seventeenth century. In all, about 150 of the group in its various forms are thought to have survived to the present day (Herrmann, E.: Seltene Orientteppiche X, Munich 1978, no.5, pp.22-23).
The fields of these rugs can be divided into two groups: those with cloudband spandrels and those, as in the present example, with angular arabesques. It appears, both from the drawing and colouring of the original rugs, and from their appearances in European paintings, that both types were in production simultaneously. There has been some debate as to whether they are prayer rugs. While they are certainly directional, the 'mosque-lamp', if it is such, is stylised to the extreme. Another variant has a single knot line rising from the central medallion to an upper palmette panel which bears no relation to a lamp (Spühler, F.: Oriental Carpets in the Museum of Islamic Art, Berlin, London, 1988, no.17, pp.37-38 and pl. p. 160).
The border of the present rug has the design most commonly found in the group, the other frequent border design being the cloudband as seen in lot 411. Described by Grant-Ellis in his discussion of the three examples in Philadelphia (Grant-Ellis, C.G.: Oriental Carpets in the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia 1988) as 'arches formed by pairs of floral arabesques' these contain palmettes and are divided by floral sprays. When this border makes its appearance, it almost invariably has the same inner and outer guard stripes that are seen here. Within the group, this subgroup with arcaded arabesque border shows the least variance of design between examples. The present rug exhibits all the most classic motifs and drawing of the type.
The fields of these rugs can be divided into two groups: those with cloudband spandrels and those, as in the present example, with angular arabesques. It appears, both from the drawing and colouring of the original rugs, and from their appearances in European paintings, that both types were in production simultaneously. There has been some debate as to whether they are prayer rugs. While they are certainly directional, the 'mosque-lamp', if it is such, is stylised to the extreme. Another variant has a single knot line rising from the central medallion to an upper palmette panel which bears no relation to a lamp (Spühler, F.: Oriental Carpets in the Museum of Islamic Art, Berlin, London, 1988, no.17, pp.37-38 and pl. p. 160).
The border of the present rug has the design most commonly found in the group, the other frequent border design being the cloudband as seen in lot 411. Described by Grant-Ellis in his discussion of the three examples in Philadelphia (Grant-Ellis, C.G.: Oriental Carpets in the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia 1988) as 'arches formed by pairs of floral arabesques' these contain palmettes and are divided by floral sprays. When this border makes its appearance, it almost invariably has the same inner and outer guard stripes that are seen here. Within the group, this subgroup with arcaded arabesque border shows the least variance of design between examples. The present rug exhibits all the most classic motifs and drawing of the type.